KIDNEY, ANYONE? Unmolested 1987 Toyota Corolla AE86 Coupe

A bone stock 1987 Toyota Corolla GT-S Coupe has surfaced auction on eBay in southern California. The AE86 chassis, famed for its drifting prowess and starring role in Initial D, has risen to legend status, especially as unmolested examples dwindle. That’s why even with nearly 200,000 miles on the odo, someone is asking nearly $20,000 for a 30-year-old Corolla.

Though it has traveled 197,617 miles, it appears to be in very nice condition. It is said to be all original, never repainted, and the seller has even gone so far as to include images of readings from a digital paint thickness gauge. The color is a desirable 202 Black, and solid black AE86s were never sold in the home country unless one is talking about the rare Japan-only Black Limited special edition.

1987 was the last year for the rear-wheel-drive Corolla GT-S (or RWD Corollas in general, for that matter) and officially only the coupe body style was offered, as the hatchback had already transitioned into the AE82 FX-16. As such, there are number of final year quirks.

For one, it is said that Toyota ran out of GT-S parts toward the end of the AE86’s run, so many of the last ones built lacked the GT-S’s folding side mirrors, or came with SR-5 interiors instead. This one has the SR-5 interior, but ironically, the fabric seats and hard plastic map pockets of the SR-5 actually withstand the test of time better than GT-S interiors.

There are a few small details that are incorrect, however. This is obviously a 1986-87 kouki model, but it has the zenki “pizza cutter” wheels. The post-facelift “snowflake” wheels shouldn’t be too hard to find, though, as they were used on everything from Cressidas to Toyota Vans. The shift knob and stereo are aftermarket units, and the steering wheel appears to have a leatherette cover, so the condition of the original leather-stitched wheel is unknown. These point to the fact that the car might have had a light modification before.

Still, finding an AE86 in better condition is near impossible. The dash pad, a known problem area, has a slight wave in it but it does not appear to be cracked, like most that have lived a life under the SoCal sun. The front lip is also in surprisingly good condition; most have scratches or chips from parking bollards and road debris. Even the fluid reservoirs in the engine bay are not discolored, possibly having been recently replaced. Other frequently broken parts, like the hood prop clip or air intake snorkel, remain in tact.

The seller even has original window sticker and documentation. This is said to be a two-owner car, having been purchased originally in Boise, Idaho and trading hands once to the current owner in 2013. The only optional items were power steering, auto-reverse cassette player, and floormats, making for an out-the-door price of $11,065 back in May 1987.

Don’t fret about the odometer unless you want low-mileage bragging rights. Mechanically, the twin-cam 4A-GE engine and T50 5-speed are near indestructable if properly cared for. Unfortunately, many aspiring drifters did not care for them, so this could be your last chance to buy a stock Corolla GT-S Coupe in black. The seller is asking $19,990, but is entertaining offers. See the auction on eBay.

I don’t think it is all that likely that someone will pay the asking price and then butcher it. If someone steps up with 20 large, they will probably keep it original. Too easy to find much cheaper examples to modify.

Okay, 20 grrr? No way. Better cars out there for 20. Hell, I can even find a Bentley Turbo or a Porsche Cayenne Turbo for less than that here in SoCal.
Initial D was the best/worst thing that happened to AE86 Corollas. Hell, can you imagine if he was driving a TE37?
I will say that 200,000 is not too many miles, my TE27 was still great at 200,000.

Honestly there are better ones available in Japan for that cost, even counting the import fees.

Then again, those are RHD. To my mind the LHD will be worth a bit extra here. I never really liked the look of the notchback, but the 3 door looks pretty good. Make it a 3 door Levin and we are REALLY talking as far as looks go.